Investigators say a midday call led to a double-death scene, a neighborhood search and an evening booking into the King County jail.
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Police say two people in their mid-60s were found dead just after noon Thursday, and by early evening officers had arrested their 35-year-old son blocks away, capping a fast-moving investigation centered on a quiet street off 27th Place SW.
The sequence began at 12:11 p.m., when officers conducting a welfare check entered the home and discovered the bodies. Detectives identified the couple’s son, Mick Carmichael, as a person of interest and circulated his description, noting he might have boarded a bus near the residence around 12:15 p.m. Patrols fanned out to bus stops, trails and nearby apartments, using K-9 teams and door-to-door checks to narrow the search. Shortly before 5 p.m., officers located Carmichael in a neighborhood park less than a mile away and detained him without incident. He was later booked into the King County jail on two counts of second-degree murder as detectives continued processing the scene and gathering video from nearby homes.
Authorities did not release the victims’ names pending confirmation by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause and manner of death were listed as pending. Neighbors described the afternoon as jarring, with cruisers lining the block and crime-scene tape stretching across the yard. “It’s shocking,” said neighbor Mason LeMaster, who recognized the son from prior glimpses along the street. Officers went door to door asking about doorbell footage and any sightings of a tall man walking toward transit soon after noon. Detectives said no other suspects are being sought and emphasized there was no ongoing danger once the arrest was made.
Public records outline earlier cases involving the family. In 2021, Carmichael pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault in a domestic violence case that listed both parents as victims. A 2015 case described a reported strangulation of his father. Courts have issued multiple protection orders since 2009 involving the parents and several other people. Police said those records will be part of the broader picture as they assemble a timeline for prosecutors, alongside forensic evidence from the home and any recovered digital data. The residence remained secured overnight while technicians photographed rooms, collected swabs and logged items for lab testing.
Next steps include formal identification of the victims, autopsy examinations and an initial court appearance for the son. Prosecutors will review the police reports and evidence to determine charges and bail recommendations. Detectives planned additional interviews with relatives and neighbors and were checking transit surveillance after the early lead that the person of interest may have boarded a bus. Officials said they will provide updates when the medical examiner releases findings and when a judge sets a hearing date in King County Superior Court.
On Friday morning, a few bouquets leaned against a fence while officers maintained a perimeter and neighbors compared notes about the day’s events. Children headed to school buses along reopened streets as investigators rolled up tape from the park where the arrest occurred. “There’s a problem with the system not protecting parents,” LeMaster said, summing up a sentiment shared by several on the block.
As of Friday, the suspect remained in the King County jail and the medical examiner had not released the victims’ names. The next expected milestone is the son’s first court appearance after prosecutors review the case.
Author note: Last updated January 23, 2026.